Getting Into Essential Oils as a Skeptic

I’m happy to be sharing my story with you all, but please know that I am not intending to diagnose, prescribe, or promise cures for any conditions. Always consult with a medical professional if you have questions about combining essential oils with a prescription regimen.

Just about two months ago, my friend Kayla Aimee started telling me about the wonderful results she was seeing for her family by using essential oils for things like supporting the immune system and helping occasional sleeplessness. I could hear the excitement and passion in her voice, especially since she is NOT the type to ever try to push a product on someone, and so I ordered a kit of essential oils from her, just to try some stuff out.

And I will be the first to tell you that I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into, but I was pretty darn sure that it wasn’t going to work for me. I’ve purchased essential oils before at health food stores, and I’ve NEVER EVER been impressed with the results I have received beyond them making a room smell good. I never found that they helped me relax, fall asleep, or did much to improve skin problems.

When my oils arrived, I started doing a little experimenting. I started by using a diffuser to get some of the oils in the air so I could enjoy smelling them, and also see if they helped do things like wake me up, energize me, or calm me down (depending on the oil or oils I used). And I did feel as though they were working, although I was still skeptical: this could just be a placebo effect, and be the result of me wanting them to work (because I had just spent $150 plus shipping on this large kit of oils and I didn’t want to feel like a total fool, you know? ).

And then I decided to purchase the Essential Oils Pocket Reference, and I actually spent a great deal of time recently just reading over it. It helped me tremendously! I got to read about the science behind essential oils and how they are distilled. I also read about the lack of regulations across the industry and the subsequent extreme variance in quality and helpfulness of oils. The guide also offered some specifics about how these particular oils are produced, and that helped me understand why they are lauded by so many thousands of people and seem to produce outstanding results. On the practical application side, the reference book gave detailed recommendations for which oils to use (and HOW to use them) to address a wide variety of wellness issues. They distill in small batches (it would be more profitable to distill in larger quantities) and they third party test every batch they make., and I actually spent a great deal of time recently just reading over it. It helped me tremendously! I got to read about the science behind essential oils and how they are distilled. I also read about the lack of regulations across the industry and the subsequent extreme variance in quality and helpfulness of oils. The guide also offered some specifics about how these particular oils are produced, and that helped me understand why they are lauded by so many thousands of people and seem to produce outstanding results. On the practical application side, the reference book gave detailed recommendations for which oils to use (and HOW to use them) to address a wide variety of wellness issues. They distill in small batches (it would be more profitable to distill in larger quantities) and they third party test every batch they make.

Here’s an example of their commitment to consistent quality: they recently became out of stock of an oil that I love called Valor. I wanted to order more, but noticed they were out of stock. When I inquired about when more would be coming in, I couldn’t get a definitive answer. It could be as early at 3 weeks, or as late as 2 1/2 months. I was a bit frustrated at this answer, as it just sounded like someone in the ordering department REALLY screwed up!

As it turns out, this is just a reflection of the dedication the company has to quality. They had a batch of product come in that didn’t meet their expectations, and rather than put out a product that folks were already lined up to buy, they opted to wait for the next round. And you know what? That one may not make the cut, either, which is why they aren’t making any promises. I totally respect that, because many companies would choose to sell something that was “close enough” in quality.

As I have spent a bit more time getting used to the oils and learning about different ways to use them (diffusing, topical application, and ingesting), I have been becoming a bigger and bigger fan. I have realized that these oils contribute to better health for my own family, as well as for other families. And at the end of the day, one of my very favorite things to do is to come up with strategies that solve problems. When I get to do that, I’m in my happy place. That’s why I blog about products and services that I love (or don’t), love to share ideas that are quick and easy and get the job done, and help busy parents like myself find ways (big and small) to make day-to-day life just a bit easier and more fun. That, my friends, is why 4 1/2 years after starting this blog, I’m still jabbering away!

I can’t wait to share more with you about how essential oils are supporting wellness left and right in my home. I purchase these oils regularly so I signed up for a membership with Young Living, which means I get to place an order each month with discounted prices, as well as discounted shipping. I’ll keep you all in the loop about when that order is coming up, because I’d be happy to include others on it (helping my readers find solutions AND helping them get the best price? I’m in heaven!!!). If you’d like to join a small facebook group I’m in just to learn more about oils and how to use them (it is NOT a sales-y places, just a sharing place), then feel free to join the Oil Love Facebook group!

Have you ever tried essential oils? Did you have a disappointing experience like I did at first? Do you think I sound like I’ve gone off my rocker just a wee bit? And do you have any questions about oils or any problems that you are curious if oils might potentially help with? I’d be delighted to try to find the answer for you!

So excited for you! I am out of a few of my favorite oils and they are supposed to be delivered today. I may or may not be stalking the front door waiting for the FedEx truck to show up! That’s just how awesome these oils are! 🙂

I’m a huge fan of essential oils and use them for everything!! I love reading others experiences and how they come about in learning about them! Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop and sharing with all of our readers! I have featured your post as one of my favorites this week 🙂 Hope you will visit us again each Monday!

I just recently started learning about essential oils. I ordered a small set online and 5/6 are really awesome and help me tremendously. At first I thought the Lavender was just me, way too strong, but everyone else said the same thing. Now I suspect it may be the brand. I will have to see which one I have and possibly check into this one. Thank you, It’s lovely to learn from fellow bloggers 🙂

My pleasure! I can’t speak to the power of other brands, but Young Living has a Seed to Seal process which is unmatched in the industry. I feel really confident about what I purchase with them because of it. Check it out! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/278308451947199432/

My daughter has used these for years. Christmas Eve of 2014, I had an accident that totaled my car and almost totaled me. I had nine broken ribs (some in two places) and a broken pelvis. Needless to say, this was quite painful. PanAway helped a lot. It didn’t take all the pain away, but neither did two weeks in ICU with an epidural of heavy-duty pain meds.

Thanks for sharing your journey on this. I’ve been using the oils I’ve purchased from Azure Standard for years, and have been quite happy with them. I recently attended a doTerra party and am in the process of pondering why I’d want to invest so much more $$ when what I have already is working.

I totally hear you. I can’t speak to doTerra and their process, but I can point you to the main reason that I feel so confident in the quality of Young Living products. Check out my pin all about the seed to seal process. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/278308451947261202/ And the other reason, for me, is that I haven’t had success using other essential oils in the past. If what you are using is producing good results, then that’s a very good thing for you! But if you suspect that you could get even better results with a higher quality product, that might be a reason to give something new a try. Come hang out with us at the oil love facebook group (linked in the post) if you’d like to have a place to just come and learn without feeling any pressure! 🙂

[…] If you are new to Young Living and would love to get your hands on some Purification (which is $18.50 plus tax and shipping at the wholesale cost for 15 ml, which is 250 drops) I’d be happy to order some for you on my next monthly order! Reach out to me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll give you details. Young Living is a referral based business, so you have to work with someone who already purchases from the company in order to get started, yourself. And if you’d like to hear more about essential oils in general and why I decided to give them a try (as a skeptic, no less), check out my post on why I chose Young Living. […]

[…] out of the shower I apply a natural lotion (Honest Company is a good choice) and I add 2-3 drops of essential oils to the lotion before applying them. I have a rather fierce collection of oils, so I do switch up […]

[…] you! Email me at stuffparentsneed (at) gmail (dot) com if you’d like to hear more about incorporating essential oils into your life to promote wellness for your family. Or if you’d simply like to give this product a try, […]

[…] For what it’s worth, getting the premium starter kit was one of the best decisions I have ever made for my health. I went into it expecting essential oils to not work, and I’ve never been so happy to have been wrong! You can read more about how I got started as an essential oils skeptic. […]

[…] BUT…now that is all behind us, and little Layah decided that she was ready to be in underwear full-time, so here we are! After we overcame the issue of pooping in the potty, tackling the overnight potty training was the toughest piece for us. Since I love essential oils and love to incorporate them into our lives, I started to do some research on potty training tips that integrate essential oils and I found some GREAT ideas that I want to share with you all! If you are new to the site and/or new to essential oils, I hope you will take a moment to read more on why my family has chosen Young Living Essential Oils. […]

[…] like to read more about why I recommend Young Living essential oils, please check out my post on trying essential oils as a skeptic. I’ve been using these oils since February, when I honestly believed essential oils […]

[…] and really using the oils, I’ve fallen in love with Young Living. Check out my story on how I got started, as well as all the other articles I have written as I have discovered more and more ways to make […]

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Grab your beverage of choice (mine is iced coffee) and let's hang out for a spell! I'm Tiffany, and I've rambunctious little girls and a fierce desire to share any tip and trick I can find to make lives with little ones a bit less hectic and a lot more fun. [Read more...]